Video Spotlight: I Challenged Myself to Go Vegan for a Year

Still stumped on what new challenge to take on in 2019?

Along with typical resolutions like finally getting organised or cutting down on sweet treats, one of the things that hops into the trending topics every January is “Veganuary”. For those of you who may be out of the loop, Veganuary is a widely-adopted challenge where you try to maintain a vegan diet for the month of January.

As someone who took on the challenge last year, Derin Adetosoye breaks down exactly what you can expect if you are interested in taking on Veganuary yourself.

Fielding questions from her followers, Derin explained her personal reasons behind wanting to do the challenge. “I was vegetarian for five years prior to being vegan,” she explained, “and I always said that, when I go to university and I’m in control of what I’m cooking, that I’d want to attempt to go vegan.” Another catalyst for her transition was the documentary What the Health, an eye-opening look into the health impacts of meat and dairy and the benefits of exploring plant-based diets. “I’d always been very curious about a vegan lifestyle, so I actually decided to extend my Veganuary for the entire year,” she said.

There were, however, parts of the lifestyle change that took her by surprise. “One of the major things that I first experienced when turning vegan was this feeling of light-headedness, constant hunger, and almost dizziness in some situations,” she said. A tip she had for her followers was to eat more than you normally would (uh…we can definitely do this step). On a vegan diet, your body needs larger portions! Derin also mentioned that people new to a vegan diet may also go through a period of feeling bloated from certain vegetables or beans.

Aside from the initial challenges she encountered when switching over to veganism, Derin also experienced two huge positives: enormous energy level increases and bright, clear skin. “I basically felt like I was glowing from the inside out, and I feel like that was definitely due to my diet,” she said. “Dairy was a big impact on my skin, so when I cut it out, ‘ya girl started glowing!”

Reflecting on the past year, Derin emphasises that there are a lot more vegan recipe options out there than you think! “Rather than just switching to salads every single day, I was substituting meat and dairy alternatives as opposed to removing them from my meals completely,” she explained. As Derin said, “food is meant to be enjoyed at the end of the day.” A girl after our own hearts.

Well, be right back, just going to quickly sign up for Veganuary. Who’s with us?!

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